Bonding
by MelanthiaChase
Summary: Bilbo considers the Company his family but it was not always so. This story will explore how those bonds were formed. This is a story about friendship and loyalty with funny moments and minor slash. It will be told in vignettes and oneshots but with a central theme.
1. Bombur

**I own nothing you recognize. Only original characters and storylines are my own.**

**Bombur**

When he came to think on it later it really wasn't a wonder that he had found a way to bond with the dwarf. His rotund girth and gentle countenance were reasons to be mocked by his dwarven brethren but to Bilbo he was almost hobbitlike, enough to make him feel at ease and a bit less homesick when he joined Bombur at the fire. In fact Bilbo found reasons to join the large dwarf, be it to help with the cooking or minding the fire and Bombur never tried to shush him or force him away. He knew, without a doubt, that at least Bombur respected him and saw worth. Even as he formed bonds with others in the party and became something much more than a friend to Thorin he could always content himself with the knowledge that Bombur would sit with him and talk of the one thing they had in common above all else...food.

…

"Seven meals a day? By Mahal, how do you get anything else done?" Bofur asked with interest as he rode with the halfling, in front of his brother. Bombur listened intently, because this was an interesting development.

"Well many of them aren't proper meals, more like nibbles to tide us over throughout the day. First Breakfast, luncheon, dinner and supper are the main meals of the day where we can truly eat our fill. Second breakfast, elevensies and afternoon tea are usually just snacks to tide us over until the next large meal." Bilbo explained and Bombur's stomach growled loudly in response, alerting his brother and the hobbit that he was listening in but Bofur was too curious to call attention to it and Bombur was glad, too often the butt of jokes as it was.

"Why d'ya need ta eat so much? Yer' just little things." Bofur asked and Bilbo smiled.

"Yes we're small but as children and tweens we run all over the place, getting in mischief and never stopping so food is necessary. It's only as we age and get less...lively...that we start to widen and the amount of food we eat catches up to us. I admit I've been slowing down in recent years." Bilbo continued to smile and Bofur clapped him on the back in a gesture of amusement.

"Hobbits...such strange folk..." Bofur said quietly before he chuckled to himself and rode his pony closer up to where Nori was and said something to them before they laughed and threw a grin Bombur's way. While they obviously mocked him Bombur rode up to his brother's abandoned spot and rode quietly with Bilbo for a few minutes before the hobbit looked over at him with a smile.

"Fine day we're having, isn't it Bombur?" Bilbo asked and the jolly dwarf nodded before he leaned over as much as he could without toppling off his pony or injuring the animal and whispered conspiratorially.

"How large are the meals?" The question was asked with such sincere curiosity that Bilbo grinned wider and moved closer to save the dwarf and his mount some discomfort.

"Full seven course dinners and four course breakfasts with plenty of food in between. When the quest is over and I return to the Shire you must visit and I will make you some proper meals Bombur. I feel like you'll actually appreciate my people's customs." Bilbo said straightening his back and puffing his chest out with pride and Bombur smiled. His offer did sound quite amazing and Bombur's stomach growled again at the thought of a seven course dinner.

…

"That smells lovely Bombur." Bilbo told the dwarf as he sat next to him at the fire, watching as Bombur added some wild herbs that removed much of the gaminess from the birds Kili had managed to take down that afternoon. Bombur just nodded and took some of the wild onions he'd been roasting under the fire, carefully removed the scorched layer and popped them in the pot. Once that was done he sat back against his bag and rested his hands on his bountiful stomach and looked around the camp before his gaze rested on the hobbit.

"Why is food so important to you and the rest of the Shirefolk Bilbo?" Bombur asked suddenly and Bilbo started at the sudden sound after silence from the larger dwarf but immediately tried to think of an answer. After a moment's pause he smiled .

"I suppose it comes down to us loving the simple things in life, a warm home, good company and full bellies. It's more than that though, to us food is necessary in all parts of life. We need it to survive but we also use it as a means to know our neighbors and share our good fortunes with one another. It's said that no family in the Shire will starve as long as they have good neighbors and we all pride ourselves in that." Bilbo answered but when he saw the thoughtful look on Bombur's face he continued. "Another reason we love food is that it gives us a chance to show ourselves for who we are. With food we can experiment and be true individuals, I'm not too proud to admit that I make the best strawberry tart of any hobbit in Hobbiton and that's no lie. But I can't forget that mine is the best only because I tried something new... Why is food important to you Bombur, if you don't mind me asking?"

"When Bofur and I were we lads we moved from town to town with our Mum and Da, they were always looking for work as most of our kin were. Sometimes they both found it and we were fed and cared for but other times were lean and we never knew when the next meal was coming. Then Mum and Da died and Bifur came and took over our care. He did his best and always made sure Bofur and I were fed and had a roof over our heads, then he went to Moria..." Bombur shivered and said a silent prayer of thanks for his cousin's life before he continued. "Bofur had just come of age when that happened and spent his time working in the mines to keep us alive while I took care of Bifur. This was when I learned how important food really was. Bifur became...peculiar...after his injury and would only eat certain things and I learned how to make them just right, to the point where Bifur would only eat what I cooked. It was a source of pride for me but it also caused me shame."

"Forgive me, but why were you ashamed? It seems to me that your skill helped keep your cousin alive and that's a very noble fact." Bilbo complimented him and Bombur blushed before he continued.

"My shame comes from what I did to procure the food for Bifur. Bofur is a hard worker and worked every job he could but it wasn't enough, not nearly enough to feed us all and Bifur's new needs. We did what we could at first but too soon we were beyond destitute and I was forced into behavior unbecoming of a dwarf. I begged, bartered and dug in the trash behind the butcher's stall for what we needed. It was the greatest shame of my life but I would do it again for my family." Bombur smiled as he thought of Bifur's joy at mealtime as he healed.. Bilbo smiled at Bombur, surprised and pleased that the large dwarf was sharing something so private and personal with him.

"Food is happiness and security for you, isn't it Bombur?" Bilbo asked and the large dwarf smiled and nodded.

"Aye, when you don't have enough each scrap is precious and when you have too much you can share it with those you care about and you can always, always enjoy it." Bombur explained and Bilbo grinned wide and patted the dwarf on the arms.

"You and I are not so different master dwarf. I may have had an easy life in comparison to you but we both understand the importance of food. I truly hope I have a chance to share a true feast with you one day, so we can enjoy our bounty together." Bilbo told him and Bombur nodded some more before he placed a hand on Bilbo's shoulder.

"I'm counting on it Bilbo, if for nothing else than showing you my skill. Now, we've talked enough. I must get back to the stew." Bombur explained, but as he moved to stand Bilbo placed a hand on his shoulder and stood.

"You sit and rest Bombur, I'll take care of the stew." Bilbo told Bombur as he gave the dwarf a smile then began fussing over the stew while Bombur sat back and watched him, content in the knowledge that he had a friend in the hobbit. Bilbo looked over at the dwarf and sighed a contented sigh, he had a friend, a true friend and all it took was a love of food to bond them. He hoped he could form relationships with rest of the Company so easily.

* * *

...

* * *

**Author's Note:** I know I have a ton of projects going on but I've got a bit of writer's block at the moment and these plots come to me. This story came from one of those plots and will be about how Bilbo bonded with members of the company. I intend to continue but the updates will be sporadic as my muse starts working with me again on my other stories. Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoy these little tales.


	2. Dwalin

**I own nothing you recognize. Only original characters and storylines are my own.**

**Dwalin**

When the large and, if he admitted it, terrifying dwarf stood on his doorstep Bilbo didn't know what to think and over the course of the night became even more wary. As they traveled he continued to keep his distance from the surly dwarf, afraid that one wrong word or misstep would result in one of those impressive axes cleaving him in half. It was this fear that kept him from forming a bond with the warrior until fate conspired to bring them together and forge a bond that was stronger than mithril and would last until the end of their days.

...

"Halfling! We don't have time for your opposition. You've injured yourself and require assistance." Thorin practically growled at Bilbo as the hobbit glared at him and leaned heavily on the walking stick Bifur had kindly carved for him as they camped the previous night.

"I require nothing of the sort. I may have sprained my ankle but I can hobble along just fine. I manage to keep pace with Bombur." Bilbo argued and Bombur shot him a look, practically begging the hobbit not to draw him into an argument and Bilbo just continued. "Besides even with an injury my large feet will do better on this muddy ground than your bloody boots."

At the hobbit's curse and tone the Company stilled with shock. They didn't even know that Bilbo knew such language, let alone would use it. The most shocked was Thorin, who didn't believe it possible for such a small creature to not only defy him but to curse at him in such an undignified manner. After a moment he schooled his face back to his normally bored expression and growled to Dwalin.

"Pick him up, we don't have time for his whining." He said with an air of finality and Dwalin simply grunted and lifted the hobbit off of his feet and slinging him over his shoulder while the walking stick clattered to the ground.

"No..." Bilbo said sadly as his beautiful and sturdy stick hit the mud but didn't have to remain saddened for long as the large dwarf reached down and picked up the stick, carefully holding onto the hobbit as he did so and once he was upright again they resumed trudging down the wet and squelching mud, deeply regretting the loss of their ponies.

...

"How's the air up there Mister Boggins?" Kili asked with a snicker and his brother elbowed him but grinned.

"It's Mister BAGGINS, you great dolt, but still how is the air up there? It must be thin up so high." Fili said seriously but dissolved into giggles which were stopped abruptly by Dwalin's growl.

"If you're so interested laddie I'd be glad to carry you around like a sack of flour." Dwalin said in a deadpan voice and Bilbo watched as Fili immediately looked contrite and lowered his eyes.

"I meant nothing it Mister Baggins." Fili said quietly and Bilbo could do nothing but smile at the elder heir.

"It's quite alright, no need to apologize. The air is actually quite nice up here and I daresay the lack of movement is helping my ankle greatly." Bilbo said in an attempt to keep the peace and show Dwalin some gratitude. "I just wish I didn't have to be so undignified."

As the words left Bilbo's mouth he felt Dwalin's shoulders shake in quiet laughter. While some part of him was happy to know that the usually stoic dwarf could laugh and be amused from time to time another part wondered if he should be offended. As he contemplated the question Dwalin spoke and surprised the hobbit.

"How is this undignified hobbit?" Dwalin asked, his voice laced with amusement and Bilbo huffed before he twisted his face up in thought.

"I am not a child Mister Dwalin and it's not proper for me to be carried around like one. I do concede that we are making better time than we would have otherwise but it is humiliating to be carried on your shoulder." Bilbo said hotly and Dwalin immediately sobered.

"You don't know what humiliation is laddie, and may you never learn that lesson." Dwalin said with what the hobbit thought was affection and that stopped their talking for the rest of the day.

That night as they gathered around the fire for warmth and heat Bilbo made sure to get Dwalin an extra bit of the rabbit Bombur had prepared for their meal as a thanks for his help during the day. As Bilbo handed him the meat Dwalin grunted in thanks before he resumed his earlier conversation with his brother and Bilbo nodded and walked back to Bombur to get his own food before he went around the fire and sat beside Bofur i a companionable silence. As they ate he noticed that occasionally the warrior dwarf would look at him and incline his head, the meaning of which Bilbo had no idea but he would return the gesture, receiving a look of approval from Balin. Pleased that he'd done something right Bilbo went back to his meal and listened to the story Bofur was telling, feeling comfortable for the first time in a long time.

...

The next day was more of the same. The ground was still too treacherous for Bilbo to walk on so it fell to Dwalin to carry him again, but this time Bilbo kept all complaints and gripes silent. He didn't want to seem ungrateful to the large warrior and he had to admit that the rest had done his ankle some good and he would be able to walk on it in a day or so. With this train of thought he kept to himself, not doing anything to upset or annoy the dwarf acting as his ride and trying to make it less of an inconvenience. However, when they stopped for the night he couldn't help the relieved sigh that came from his mouth as Dwalin set him down and noticed a similar sound come from the warrior. Again they parted without a word but Bilbo received one of those shallow nods again and returned it, smiling all the while.

"Master Hobbit, help Bombur." Thorin ordered Bilbo after everyone was unloaded and the hobbit simply nodded and held in his weary sigh. He'd get to rest soon enough so, for now, he'd keep silent and do as he was told.

Bilbo puttered around with Bombur, cutting wild herbs and tubers that they found on the way as Bombur dressed the squirrels Kili had managed to shoot during one of his scouting excursions in preparation for the stew they were going to prepare. it was easy work and he found his eyes moving around the camp as he worked beside the cook. Fili and Kili were heading further into the forest to collect wood for the fire while Dori ran a comb through Ori's hair and spoke quietly to Nori who was suspiciously nosing around Bofur's pack. The toymaker was with his cousin, listening intently as the other spoke in his Khuzdul while he worked on something on Bilbo's walking stick. The sight made the hobbit smile and he made up his mind to pay back Bifur in some way for his thoughtfulness. As he thought about the debt of gratitude that he owed Bifur his eyes drifted to where Dwalin sat in deep discussion with Thorin. As they spoke Dwalin removed his boots and socks and grimaced with pain. Bilbo found himself grimacing too as he saw the nasty blisters and rashes that seemed to cover his feet. It looked painful and Bilbo knew he was partially to blame for the current state of those feet. He managed to tear his eyes away and finish preparing their meal before an idea implanted itself in his head and he knew just what to do for the dwarf. Still smiling he turned back to the fire and figured out just what he needed to get together to help Dwalin and keep him in the dark about it.

...

Dwalin sat by the fire and rubbed his sore and aching feet. The miles and added weight hadn't been easy on the warrior and his feet had taken the brunt of it. Still you wouldn't hear him complain, a bit of discomfort was nothing in the face of what they were going to accomplish and their burglar needed the assistance. Who was he to refuse someone in need, even if they refused to admit it themseves? He smiled to himself and put his feet by the fire and took out his pipe. Gandalf had recently popped up and given them some pipe weed that he'd conjured from somewhere and Dwalin was grateful for the one pleasure in the dreariness. As he smoked he closed his eyes and was blissfully free of the ever present weight on his shoulders for a minute when suddenly someone sat beside him. At the tentative movements and nervous fidgeting Dwalin didn't even have to guess who it was.

"Can I help you with something, Mister Baggins?" Dwalin asked without opening his eyes when suddenly his nose was assaulted with a smell that was both sweet and savory and he opened his eyes and saw the hobbit with a mortar and pestle grinding herbs together in a green paste, obviously trying to figure out what to say.

"Well, uh, Mister Dwalin, I, uh, noticed your feet are in a bad way and I, uh, thought I could help with that." The hobbit said quickly as he put all of his concentration into grinding the herbs and Dwalin sniffed the air, suprised to smell a whiff of mint and...pipe weed?

"What are you mixing there?" Dwalin asked and Bilbo suddenly smiled at him, bright and cheerful.

"This is an old family recipe I got from my Granny Took. You see, hobbits aren't born with tremendously thick soles to our feet. Yes they're thicker and tougher than some but they still need a bit of toughening up as we age. Well, younglings often have sore feet and blisters and such as they age so Granny discovered a mixture that would take the pain away and I can tell you that it always worked." Bilbo said happily with a tinge of pride and Dwalin just watched before his curiosity got the better of him.

"What's in it?" Dwalin asked as he took another sniff of the pleasant smelling concoction.

"Let's see...I have some mint, sage, a few crushed peppercorns and the remainder of my pipe weed. You see-" He started and Dwalin stopped him with a hand to his arm.

"Why're you wasting good pipe weed lad?" Dwalin asked, almost horrified by the fact that Bilbo would waste something so precious on a balm. Bilbo just smiled and gave his mixture a good stir.

"It's the main ingredient, my good dwarf, I don't know just how it does it or why but it dulls the pain and if the batch is strong enough it numbs it. Here, try some." Bilbo said as he handed the balm to Dwalin who looked at him suspiciously for a moment before he took a small dollop out and tentatively rubbed some on the side of his foot. Almost instantly his foot cooled pleasantly and that helped somewhat. I wasn't until a few moments later when he noticed that the ache there had dulled to something more manageable. He smiled in a way that was a slight upturn of his lips then looked at Bilbo.

"Not bad master hobbit. Let's see if it works on the rest of the foot." He suggested and Bilbo gladly handed over the balm, carefully watching Dwalin rub it on his feet. Once it was on Dwalin sighed and leaned back once more, allowing the mixture to do his work. "This is good, you could sell it."

"Oh no, Mister Dwalin, it's an old family recipe. Something we only make for our young hobbitlings or dear friends in need. I just wanted to share it with you as a thanks for all that you've done for me for the last couple of days. Thanks to you I can walk on my ankle again without hobbling and you kept hold of my walking stick which means a great deal to me. Making this balm was the least I could do." Bilbo smiled with such genuine warmth and affection that Dwalin was dumbstruck before a realization came to him.

"You consider me a friend laddie?" Dwalin asked quietly and Bilbo nodded.

"Of course, I doubt anyone but a friend would carry me for so long on such sore feet without complaint and I hope that you consider me a friend as well or grow to." Bilbo kept smiling and Dwalin laid a heavy hand on his shoulder.

"Aye, Mister Baggins, I consider you a friend. How could I call anyone who gave up the rest of their pipe weed to help me anything else?" He laughed and Bilbo joined in, relieved and pleased. After that they sat side by side as Dwalin shared his pipe with the hobbit who took it for the gift it was and truly treasured this peaceful moment in the chaos his life had become.

The next day Bilbo tested whether he could truly walk like he had told Dwalin he could and was pleased to find that he hadn't been a liar. He managed to keep up with the group but by nightfall he was flagging and had never been more grateful to hear Thorin's harsh bark telling them to stop. As he finished his duties he settled himself a bit away from the others and rubbed his somewhat sore ankle. It wasn't bad enough to keep him off his feet but it was uncomfortable and he needed to fix that. Humming quietly to himself he hardly noticed the shadow that fell over him until he saw boots in his line of sight, familiar boots, and he looked up to see Dwalin reaching out with a small leather pouch in his hands. Bilbo looked from it to Dwalin and when he noticed the look on the dwarf's face he raised his hand. Once Bilbo took the pouch the warrior walked back to the fire and his customary spot beside Thorin and sat to sharpen his swords. Curiosity got the better of the hobbit and he opened it without further ado, grinning when he found a few decent plugs of pipe weed and a sprig of wild mint. Still grinning, he looked up and when his eyes found Dwalin he was pleased to see the dwarf smile at him and incline his head in a nod, Bilbo returned the nod and tied the pouch back up. There was no way he was going to lose this gift, not when it was the first from his friend.


End file.
